New MBP for Photographers?

[Kulfon]

I am seriously shocked by the announcement myself. I am a photographer myself (www.dylikowski.com) and I am currently using a mid 2015 rMBP 15" that is maxed out. I remember that when I was waiting for it to come out, the community was certain it is going to be a Skylake, but it was not the case. Fine, I decided to get it as I really needed it and I am very happy with the performance. I like Apple because it works and for it's aesthetics and simplicity. But! I am totally shocked by what they have announced:
1. Same 16 GB maximum? Well, we are talking a machine that should work for another 3-5 years

2. No USB and HDMI? I am using HDMI to connect to TV and naturally I am using USB ports for my flash drives and LaCee HDs. No dongles, a simplicity of form and use

3. 500$ more expensive? But why?

They should have added a newer Intel processor and more RAM instead of removing critical ports. And yet, it costs 500$ more. Unbelievable arrogance, blindness and greed.

 

[Hankster]

Photographer here as well. I'm not buying the new MacBook "Pro". It's ridiculous.

- No SD slot.
- No USB A/B ports when 99% of third party devices are still using this port. No one I know has a USB-C flash drive.
- 16GB max RAM? That's laughable.
- More expensive? For what? Half a pound of weight? FYI: Most users of real "Pro" laptops don't care about half a pound of weight. They'd rather not have to buy an additional $150 in extensions.

The reality is this laptop is not a "Pro" laptop as the prior line was. The prior line was built and designed by Steve Jobs specific for users such as graphic designers, photographers, developers, etc. This MacBook "Pro" is basically an upgraded Retina MacBook with three additional USB-C ports. That's it. There are people who only surf the web and use MS Office who are buying this machine. That's not a "Pro" machine if that's the case. I'll even state this again. On the iPhone 7 Apple said the headphone jack was old tech and needed to be replaced. But, they keep it on the MacBook "Pro". That's laughable - seriously.

Apple doesn't sell function anymore, they sell marketing.

 

[Mike84]

I was shocked too! My D750 uses SD cards and it is so convenient to use my macbook's SD card slot. Now I would have to depend on adaptors? In addition, I am not happy about the pricing -- totally insane. I was thinking of picking up a refurbished 2015 rMBP 15 maxed out, but I am on the fence. For the price, I can grab a 15 rMBP 2016 with 512GB ssd....I just don't know.

 

[myscrnnm]

This MacBook "Pro" is basically an upgraded Retina MacBook with three additional USB-C ports. That's it. There are people who only surf the web and use MS Office who are buying this machine. That's not a "Pro" machine if that's the case.

I am facepalming so hard at this statement. The Retina MacBook and 2016 MacBook Pro run on completely different CPUs. The former has a CPU that has so little power, the MacBook doesn't even need a fan to operate. The latter has up to 45W quad-core CPUs available, and dedicated graphics standard. Don't know how the 2016 MBPs in any way do not qualify as "pro" machines.

 

[fpenta]

I'm a photographer too. Most of the professional cameras for serious photographers all use CompactFlash, so this doesn't bother me too much. Always needed a dongle.
The Touch Bar integration with Photoshop will be also a big step up. I don't know what's your problem with this machine!

 

[Kulfon]

I'm a photographer too. Most of the professional cameras for serious photographers all use CompactFlash, so this doesn't bother me too much. Always needed a dongle.
The Touch Bar integration with Photoshop will be also a big step up. I don't know what's your problem with this machine!

Not talking SD, talking something else...

 

[fpenta]

Not talking SD, talking something else...

Well as a travel photographer if I had to choose between 32GB of RAM/ faster CPU and size, I'd choose size forever. This thing is thin! Doesn't even make me think twice to pick up the 15".

 

[nnicot]

I'm a photographer too. Most of the professional cameras for serious photographers all use CompactFlash, so this doesn't bother me too much. Always needed a dongle.
The Touch Bar integration with Photoshop will be also a big step up. I don't know what's your problem with this machine!

Seriously. SD is just one standard in a large number of other card formats that people use. I, for one, will gladly welcome a TB3 multi-card reader. Hell, the faster we all move to TB3-everything the better. The screen will be awesome for viewing photos, and the thinness and lightness will be a nice convenience when I have to travel/fly on airplanes with it.

I *DO* have an issue with the keyboard, however. The amount of travel in the keys is just not enough for most fast touch-typers. I think I will be making a lot more mistakes typing with the new keyboard.

 

[fs454]

I'm a photographer too. Most of the professional cameras for serious photographers all use CompactFlash, so this doesn't bother me too much. Always needed a dongle.
The Touch Bar integration with Photoshop will be also a big step up. I don't know what's your problem with this machine!

There are plenty of professional cameras that use SD and plenty of professionals that prefer it for convenience of workflow. The only draw to CF was transfer speed and SD has largely caught up. The Fuji XT-2 and XPro2 both have dual SD slots, all the Nikon and Canon flagships accept both CF and SD, and the Sony A7SII and A7RII are SD-only. Coincidentally, none of these cameras have an acceptable wireless transfer feature that could at all be depended upon for anything other than sliding one or two pictures to a smartphone for social media use. I could not believe Schiller's statement that referenced this.

Not only that, but a lot of aerial photography platforms use SD or Micro SD, the GoPro uses MicroSD, the list goes on. For a professional that's wrangling many different types of cameras week-by-week, SD was the glue that tied the workflow together and slapping it right into the MBP was a joy. No matter what the location or situation is, being able to quickly access your photos is something that was highly valued.

 

[jjlannoo]

I am seriously shocked by the announcement myself. I am a photographer myself (www.dylikowski.com) and I am currently using a mid 2015 rMBP 15" that is maxed out. I remember that when I was waiting for it to come out, the community was certain it is going to be a Skylake, but it was not the case. Fine, I decided to get it as I really needed it and I am very happy with the performance. I like Apple because it works and for it's aesthetics and simplicity. But! I am totally shocked by what they have announced:
1. Same 16 GB maximum? Well, we are talking a machine that should work for another 3-5 years

2. No USB and HDMI? I am using HDMI to connect to TV and naturally I am using USB ports for my flash drives and LaCee HDs. No dongles, a simplicity of form and use

3. 500$ more expensive? But why?

They should have added a newer Intel processor and more RAM instead of removing critical ports. And yet, it costs 500$ more. Unbelievable arrogance, blindness and greed.

I've been told several times pros use compactflash anyways and the ram limit is intels fault. As far as the switch to USB-C you're going to have to get used to that because it's going to be happening on every device.

 

[fs454]

It has USB. I've been several times pros ys


I've been told several times pros use compactflash anyways and the ram limit is intels fault. As far as the switch to USB-C you're going to have to get used to that because it's going to be happening on every device.

"Pros use compact flash" could not be less true or indicative of the creative industry as a whole.

 

[davidjearly]

Photographer here as well, and I think much of what you have written is simply nonsense. I am more than happy with this as an upgrade to every MBP I have ever owned, including the recent mid-2015 model.

You are factually incorrect on many points, which I won't waste time pointing out. Moreover, there's a misplaced sense of anger towards Apple for not making a machine that you expect them to. That's your problem, not theirs. Many people are happy with what has been announced, and unless Apple are guilty of stock market manipulation, this is evidenced in the high number of orders they've received.

At the end of the day, it's all perspective and opinion. Some are happy, some are not. I'm delighted and can't wait until the 17th to get my hands on my shiny new 15" rMBP.

 

[enthawizeguy]

People are tripping... It still takes all your devices a dongle is better than having a thicket laptop and you can just leave it connected to your sd reader or drive if worried. Leave one at home leave one in your camera bag. Most photo apps do not use over 16gb of ram anyways.

 

[Nathan King]

I'm an architectural photographer and will likely be upgrading to the 2016 MacBook Pro next year as my current machine is going on five years old. I use compact flash, so I don't miss the SD slot. My wide gamut display will connect to the machine just fine, and it has plenty of power for large files with many layers. I may possibly be the only person on this forum satisfied with Apple's release.

 

[Macshroomer]

Photographer here...real one, as in full time / only source of income for nearly 30 years. I think the new MacBook Pro's look like a nice upgrade, the likelihood of a "Shlongle" octopus is a bit of a bummer, I use a mix of SD / CF, having that SD card slot is super handy. I also use all kinds of connections like USB, FW800, TB, HDMI, etc.

We are all very different, including photographers (or those who claim to be, lol!) and have different needs and wants. For example, I have several film scanners including a drum scanner, so between that and my dislike for Adobe's cloud based offerings, I am still on 10.10.5 and will likely stick with it given my gradual move back to film and darkroom based pro work. So for me personally, as slick as that new touch bar looks and faster hardware would be, I am passing on this one and sticking with what works brilliantly and without compatibility issues.

But that is just me, a very successful photographer who has learned to not "fix" what is not broken.

 

[Nathan King]

I have several film scanners including a drum scanner...

I'm insanely jealous. I have to send my 4x5 out to a lab for scanning after making my selections, and as you know they're not cheap!

 

[RPhoto]

I'm an architectural photographer and will likely be upgrading to the 2016 MacBook Pro next year as my current machine is going on five years old. I use compact flash, so I don't miss the SD slot. My wide gamut display will connect to the machine just fine, and it has plenty of power for large files with many layers. I may possibly be the only person on this forum satisfied with Apple's release.

There's at least two of us...

That said, I've less desire to rush out and buy now than before the keynote purely based on price. Given the UK cost, I want to see how much the next iMac will be here in the UK as I want to max one of those out, then decide how far to push specs on a MBP.

In my case, aside from the price the 2016 13" MBP is possibly 'my' dream laptop. Barely a larger footprint than my much loved 11" Air and not much heavier. Size and weight has always been my priority for a portable computer as my camera gear isn't small or light, so I for one am pleased to see acceptable power on the road in a smaller form factor. For me, heavy workflows are always reserved for desktops.

For all the photographers who are unhappy about the SD slot being removed because you don't want to carry a 'dongle' etc, do you never carry an external reader as a backup incase the built in one goes down? If you're on a job, having two of everything important is surely a must...

...all the Nikon and Canon flagships accept both CF and SD...

Apologies for going into nerd mode here...

The flagships from Nikon have always been CF only (well, they used MicroDrives before CF), until recently switching to CF & XQD. Canon have actually ditched SD in their flagship for the last two generations (since the 1D X models arrived), opting for CF and CFast.

 

[blSwagger]

I've always used a usb CF card reader to transfer files from my dSLR. I'm up to about 50,000 photos now and it hasn't been an issue. I can't wait for my 15" to arrive!

 

[arbitrage]

I'm a photographer also. My take on things:

Lack of SD slot means nothing to me. I use C-Fast in my 1DX2 and XQD in my D500...I have readers that have cords, now I either buy a new cord for $8 or a small little thing to put on the end of my current cords for $3.

USB-C ports...well you say in the first post you need it to be good for 3-4 years....well in 3-4 years USB-C will be so mainstream that having the old ports will feel outdated.

I use portable HDs for RAW storage and RAW backup while travelling...again I either need a $8 cable or a $3 thing to stick on the end of my existing cable. Big deal...changes nothing in my workflow.

HDMI...yes I sometimes use this and yes I will have to buy a dongle for this....I'm fine with that. That will cost $25 and it will be one more thing to throw in my little HD/reader/cord bag but I can handle that for a smaller computer.

32GB of RAM??? For photography?? Maybe if you mean you are a videographer but 32GB of RAM ain't going to do nothing for post processing RAW photographs. I have 24GB on my iMac and 16GB in my 2012rMBP and there is no difference in LR and PS that I can tell.

I realize that a lot of people just want more power and more ports. All I want is a smaller and lighter laptop with processing power that equals or beats the last generation 2015. I'm replacing my 2012 rMBP with this new one. I'm buying it to increase performance (4years of processor improvements) and to get a somewhat smaller and lighter package to travel with. For me this laptop is exactly what I was waiting for. I'm in!!

For anyone concerned about USB-C, just follow these links and you can solve your problems for a few dollars with no change in what you lug around:

Cable for Lexar card readers (the tower ones) http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters...9270&sr=8-2&keywords=cable+matters+usb+c+to+b

Cable for portable HDs: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters...r=8-3&keywords=cable+matters+usb+c+to+micro+b

Small adapter to just add to your exisitng cord instead... https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Adapte...id=1478199392&sr=8-18&keywords=usb+a+to+usb+c

And here is an HDMI solution...yes this is a dongle....
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01FM52DES/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A21TE5CLHZDYA7&psc=1

 

[Bryan Bowler]

...all the Nikon and Canon flagships accept both CF and SD

Wrong. Please try again!

 

[Kulfon]

What you do not get is that it is not just money, it is the fact that I hate having dongles. Why do I have to? I did not say a word about the SD slot....but HDMI and USB is a very-very critical thing to have. Besides...can you connect your iPhone to this new MBP without a dongle?

I'm a photographer also. My take on things:

Lack of SD slot means nothing to me. I use C-Fast in my 1DX2 and XQD in my D500...I have readers that have cords, now I either buy a new cord for $8 or a small little thing to put on the end of my current cords for $3.

USB-C ports...well you say in the first post you need it to be good for 3-4 years....well in 3-4 years USB-C will be so mainstream that having the old ports will feel outdated.

I use portable HDs for RAW storage and RAW backup while travelling...again I either need a $8 cable or a $3 thing to stick on the end of my existing cable. Big deal...changes nothing in my workflow.

HDMI...yes I sometimes use this and yes I will have to buy a dongle for this....I'm fine with that. That will cost $25 and it will be one more thing to throw in my little HD/reader/cord bag but I can handle that for a smaller computer.

32GB of RAM??? For photography?? Maybe if you mean you are a videographer but 32GB of RAM ain't going to do nothing for post processing RAW photographs. I have 24GB on my iMac and 16GB in my 2012rMBP and there is no difference in LR and PS that I can tell.

I realize that a lot of people just want more power and more ports. All I want is a smaller and lighter laptop with processing power that equals or beats the last generation 2015. I'm replacing my 2012 rMBP with this new one. I'm buying it to increase performance (4years of processor improvements) and to get a somewhat smaller and lighter package to travel with. For me this laptop is exactly what I was waiting for. I'm in!!

For anyone concerned about USB-C, just follow these links and you can solve your problems for a few dollars with no change in what you lug around:

Cable for Lexar card readers (the tower ones) http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters...9270&sr=8-2&keywords=cable+matters+usb+c+to+b

Cable for portable HDs: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters...r=8-3&keywords=cable+matters+usb+c+to+micro+b

Small adapter to just add to your exisitng cord instead... https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Adapte...id=1478199392&sr=8-18&keywords=usb+a+to+usb+c

And here is an HDMI solution...yes this is a dongle....
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01FM52DES/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A21TE5CLHZDYA7&psc=1

[doublepost=1478321934][/doublepost]Phil was saying that they know that photographers are transfering files witelesly. Who does it today? If you have a 50 MPX 5Ds and you want to transfer 4000 files, do you really do it wirelessly?

 

[Capt T]

What you do not get is that it is not just money, it is the fact that I hate having dongles. Why do I have to? I did not say a word about the SD slot....but HDMI and USB is a very-very critical thing to have. Besides...can you connect your iPhone to this new MBP without a dongle?


[doublepost=1478321934][/doublepost]Phil was saying that they know that photographers are transfering files witelesly. Who does it today? If you have a 50 MPX 5Ds and you want to transfer 4000 files, do you really do it wirelessly?

Cable for your iphone...no dongle needed.

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0X2AM/A/usb-c-to-lightning-cable-1-m

 

[AdonisSMU]

I am seriously shocked by the announcement myself. I am a photographer myself (www.dylikowski.com) and I am currently using a mid 2015 rMBP 15" that is maxed out. I remember that when I was waiting for it to come out, the community was certain it is going to be a Skylake, but it was not the case. Fine, I decided to get it as I really needed it and I am very happy with the performance. I like Apple because it works and for it's aesthetics and simplicity. But! I am totally shocked by what they have announced:
1. Same 16 GB maximum? Well, we are talking a machine that should work for another 3-5 years

2. No USB and HDMI? I am using HDMI to connect to TV and naturally I am using USB ports for my flash drives and LaCee HDs. No dongles, a simplicity of form and use

3. 500$ more expensive? But why?

They should have added a newer Intel processor and more RAM instead of removing critical ports. And yet, it costs 500$ more. Unbelievable arrogance, blindness and greed.

If you have the 2015 MBP there is seriously no reason to upgrade yet. You can def wait a year or two for third party stuff to catch up. 16GB will get you through another few years but honestly you have a 2015 MBP. No need to upgrade yet. You can afford to wait until 32GB ram is available.
[doublepost=1478322365][/doublepost]

I'm an architectural photographer and will likely be upgrading to the 2016 MacBook Pro next year as my current machine is going on five years old. I use compact flash, so I don't miss the SD slot. My wide gamut display will connect to the machine just fine, and it has plenty of power for large files with many layers. I may possibly be the only person on this forum satisfied with Apple's release.

You arent the only one as evidenced by my 12/06 delivery date.

 

[buttongerald]

The Touch Bar integration with Photoshop will be also a big step up. I don't know what's your problem with this machine!

Yeah, I don't think it will be. It's a gimmick. That touch bar will not speed up work flows over a mouse and keyboard shortcuts. It's a neat idea I will give it that, but in my circle of professionals we were discussing it and not one of us could think of a reason why we would need a touch bar for editing. I am an amateur Photographer but a 15 year Graphic artist. I meet and work with both professional photographers, videographers, and several other graphic artists.

Heck, when the representative from Adobe was on stage it she made the editing of that Photograph look awkward and I guarantee you what she did could have been done WAY faster with a mouse (or graphics tablet) and basic knowledge of keyboard shortcuts.

 

[Kulfon]

Is it something that comes togetger with iPhone 7? I have a 6s, it was not included.

Cable for your iphone...no dongle needed.

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0X2AM/A/usb-c-to-lightning-cable-1-m

[doublepost=1478323900][/doublepost]What is nonsense? I described my flow of work with my camera and my mid 2015 MBP, what is nonsense to you?

Photographer here as well, and I think much of what you have written is simply nonsense. I am more than happy with this as an upgrade to every MBP I have ever owned, including the recent mid-2015 model.

You are factually incorrect on many points, which I won't waste time pointing out. Moreover, there's a misplaced sense of anger towards Apple for not making a machine that you expect them to. That's your problem, not theirs. Many people are happy with what has been announced, and unless Apple are guilty of stock market manipulation, this is evidenced in the high number of orders they've received.

At the end of the day, it's all perspective and opinion. Some are happy, some are not. I'm delighted and can't wait until the 17th to get my hands on my shiny new 15" rMBP.